The White Desert to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The White Desert became a natural park in 2002, with a total size of around 3010 Km. The park is located 570 km away from south-west of Cairo and 45 km away from the Farafra Oasis. The park contains rare caves, remains of old mummies and carved inscriptions, sand dunes, geological compositions of limestone rocks, rare plants and animals such as the Rhim gazelle, Fennec fox, and Barbary sheep.

The ‘Snow Oasis’ also features a hot spring, Ain al-Sarw, that reaches up to 40C — a favorite among tourists.

The desert features white-colored ventifacts (stones shaped by wind-blown sand) which have been formed over years by erosion and look as if they fell from the sky.

The White Desert is the main attraction of the New Valley, for its breathtaking views and pleasant climate. The desert represents a unique example of Karst topography (landscape formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum); it’s like an open museum for the study of geological phenomena, fossils and wildlife. The White Desert also features a prehistoric collection of rare tombs and carved inscriptions.